La Fleur De Mai
by kysunsang
Summary: The royal gardener finds more important things in life than accomplishment and pride...but he only has six days to truly express it. So can he? ON HOLD. AU. Contestshipping, DrewxMay, ShuuxHaruka.
1. Rose

Hey guys, this is a fanfic idea that sort of stuck in my head because:  
- I'm bored  
- I'm crazy  
- I LOVE Contestshipping!

Basically I got it off Earthy Joys by Philippa Gregory, who writes the most awesome historical fiction novels during pre/during/post-Elizabethan Times. Obviously the story is set around there...but I Pokemon-ized many of the places and stuff. I tried to be accurate with the flower info - gardening sites are love - so don't kill me for being somewhat inaccurate! D:

Anyway, let's begin this shall we?

**PS:** to tie up any confusions, I'll try to add a postnote about some of the stuff I added in the fic.  
**PPS:** THANK YOU AMA FOR BETAING (AND MAKING FUN/CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS) ON MY FIC. :D

**Warnings**: OOC Drew; I tried to make him in-character but it's hard. Oh, and dirty jokes are abundant. Ratings also may go up later on.

**La Fleur de Mai (The Mayflower)**

The disclaimer for the fanfic is implied.

_**'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-Ch 1: Rose-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'**_

------------_**Day**_------------

Ever since he was able to master the mysteries of the soil, Drew always reveled in the scent of good earth.

He sifted the soil with his gloved hands, admiring its consistency and quality – it was soft enough to let roots grow and compact enough to prevent mineral and water loss. He even took a pinch of it and examined the grains between his thumb and index finger, judging with his sharp eyes. As usual, nothing seemed wrong.

"Such good earth is rare elsewhere – but not here," he mused. "But it's plenty here…I'm glad."

He smiled. He did like his job – a good one, no less. Position as Master Gardener in Merysao Kingdom was hard to come by, even harder to maintain for five years.

But Andrew (Drew) Tradescant was different – he had been widely known for his aesthetic taste in horticulture since he was ten. The King himself had "discovered" his talents whilst visiting La Rousse, and immediately took the boy to the Court. There, Drew was to renovate The Royal Garden, and he did it with much justice. He laboriously planned each plot and oversaw the planting of every flower, bush, and tree. His ambitions for stunning designs worked out in the end – the world knew how beautiful and pleasing it was to see the fertile land gracefully transform as the seasons changed.

"A work of such genius!" many had claimed. "Such vitality is so rare to see in such places!"

Now taking the spade in one hand, he started to plant new roses to augment the Rose Maze. It was a seemingly-intricate arrangement of over fifty rose varieties that wounded around a sizeable area of the Garden. The young shoots, with their tender buds still unopened, lay in the soft loam and were shaded by the other rosebushes that Drew planted years ago.

After laying out most of the planned-out rows, he stood up to temporarily relieve his straining muscles. Surveying the progress, he smiled. Although his gloves were crusted with dirt and his clean clothes streaked, Drew looked forward to a more relaxing time in the courts. He was not a prominent figure there, but he enjoyed some of his privileges.

"These should flower on Mayday…" Drew mused. "Perfect…"

"Selia!" a small, familiar voice piped up and impatiently tugged the gardener's sleeve.

"Rosamunde!" Drew looked down at his old companion, a male Roselia. The Pokemon seemed happy enough – he had gone off as Drew's assistant to oversee the other grounds. "How are the rest?"

"Rose," it murmured in pleasure while giving a graceful bow; nothing was wrong.

The gardener nodded and resumed his work. As the familiar rhythm of the earth being dug and reformed to accommodate the saplings lulled his head, Drew began to think of other things.

The thrill of accomplishment…and the growing pride from such deeds flooded his heart. Nothing made him happier than seeing the best of his abilities shown, may it be his gardens or – rarely – his finesse with Pokemon battling. Other courtiers had no grace when giving commands or making their Pokemon execute their moves. Drew, on the other hand, prided in beauty in each battle, along with the utmost priority being Victory.

But…there was always something missing in the proud gardener. His considerable fame gained him many admirers and rivals, yes…but he always felt a distance. Not that he minded much…

"Mr. Tradescant! Master Gardener, sir!" a piping voice called out.

Drew groaned as a small lady-in-waiting dashed – in an undignified manner, he noted – to Drew. She obviously had planned to give him a hug, but seeing his filthy hands and shirt, she quickly recomposed herself to give a quick curtsey.

Rosamunde, which had returned to Drew's side to watch, gave a disapproving glance before looking away.

Brianna was a pretty girl, about sixteen, who was naught but a new one in the court. Ever since she caught a glimpse of the gardener, she has never failed to bother Drew during his work. Her advances were exceptionally annoying to him. Today she wore a modestly cut but gaudy dress, with a matching hood. Pearl earrings – probably borrowed from some friend – dangled delicately from her ears.

"Master Gardener, the Majesty must see you at once. Delegates," the girl gasped to catch her breath. "I am assuming you also will be having your lunch near the kitchens?"

Brianna looked at Drew with hope. As a lady who took charge of most of the cooking servants, she always had to mention that tidbit. Such women always irritated Drew. As if their perfume and false flattery weren't bad enough to ruin his image of them.

"I think I will dine with the King," Drew replied coolly, pretending to resume his work. "I think he will not mind me meeting him earlier than the usual time."

The lady flinched visibly by the blatant rejection. But flouncing her skirts in a huff, she dashed again off to the courtyards.

"Charmamente," she said curtly. "I shall dine with men with better taste."

"I hope you do too," the gardener muttered under his breath; he hated those saucy, uppity women.

It took a few minutes for his annoyance to pass, and for the Rose Maze to be kept in good order. He was generally happy with the day's work and was about to leave for his appointment with the King when he heard a faint patter of footsteps.

"Faith, I wish you weren't so picky on the flowers…"

Drew turned around, confused at who was traipsing around the fields at this hour – it was well into lunch – and irritated by the femininity of the voice. He just hoped it was not another crazy female admirer…

But when he glanced at the source of the voice, all of his bitterness seemed to vanish.

A Beautifly with stunning wings fluttered around the roses he painstakingly planted, and was being choosy with the ones it wanted to dine from. Flitting from each delicate blossom, it tasted each blossom's nectar, shooing away from the ones it disliked and hovering longer over the favorites. Certainly this was from an extinguished breed…Drew admired the gloss of its scales, the shine in its eyes. A true beauty, if he saw any. Seeing from the stare his own Pokemon also had, Drew knew Rosamunde felt the same.

But the girl who owned the Beautifly was…something else. Delicately formed arms tried to catch her butterfly Pokemon in vain. She wore a simple but elegant dress, indicating someone of high status. Her face was red from frustration, but also there was some weakness and tenderness that appealed to the Gardener's heart. Even her brown hair, which was usually supposed to be hidden under a hood to hide its sensuality, flew out in various directions in the playful wind.

"Faith! Fai- Ah well. Have fun with your meal…" the maid finally huffed resignedly before being diverted by her surroundings. "Ooh! These are really pretty…"

The soft hands than cradled the roses – "Hybrid Tea" Drew recalled suddenly – and the small face neared the petals to sniff them. She closed her eyes briefly to enjoy the smell, and found herself smiling. Even though her Beautifly may spurn some of these flowers, she certainly loved them all the same.

Suddenly, she sensed someone's presence. Carefully she stood up, trying to see who had trespassed into her privacy. But no one was there…save for a Roselia who seemed to be laughing at a joke she was unaware of.

Meanwhile Drew, seeing her become tense, had wisely run off to avoid any sort of accusation. Truthfully, he couldn't keep his eyes off her as she admired her flowers instead of, thankfully, admiring him. Blushing furiously in the Fountain Garden, he had fled from the Rose Maze like a little boy in love.

"God…I am indeed as silly as one," Drew cursed at himself for being weak.

Still his mind suddenly drifted to that maid with the finicky Beautifly. To Drew, that girl was a rarity: a precious, delicate rarity.

------------_**Night**_------------

"Hey nonny nonny, why doust thee sing tonight…" a rousing voice murmured in the already-noisy Halls. Dinner and other courtly ceremonies were over, and most were off to bed.

"Harley!"

The gangly man, who had been just singing a random ditty, stood up comically to greet his friend. His gaudy green robes swished and sparkled in the dim torchlight.

Drew, on the other hand, looked more refined. Before dinner he had changed his clothing. A dark vest, emblazoned with a rose insignia, comfortably covered his simple cotton shirt. Simple black leggings also added a nice touch to the outfit. Now that he had finished dinner and met the King about trivial matters, he was ready to sleep.

"Well, 'ow you do, Master Planter. Have ye sown real seeds yet, hmmm?" Harley then chuckled at his unclean joke.

Drew's nose wrinkled slightly. "No, and I suggest you keep your mouth shu-"

"Ah but why, may I ask? A silent fool is a poor fool, for no one will pay for his jokes unsaid and songs unsung. Although you may appreciate it, others may find the absence of my charms…devastating," Harley smiled.

"…right," Drew sighed; Harley had a point. "So…have any interesting tales of Court I need to concern over?"

Harley gave a dramatic thinking pose before answering: "Nayy…extremely quiet place now, despite what next week'll be. For shame! Mayday around the corner and Merysao Castle is nothing but glum and blah-"

"Aren't you supposed to…well, fix that?"

"I try, but I know why many are all down…"

"And..?"

"…nothing for you to worry about, Gardener," Harley cut in shortly; his jolly demeanor seemed to vanish. "Maybe if you care enough about others, you may realize later why."

"!! Harley you- are you calling me a heartless bastard now?"

"Words unsaid are the most truthful, eh?" Harley retorted.

"You're wrong! In fact, I had a revelation- "

"A revelashion! Wonderful! About plants, or about people? I'm sure it won't be nice if it were the latter."

"Actually, I saw a really pretty girl…"

"A maid! Well!" the jester cracked up in laughter. "I see you are all grown up!"

"No! it's not like that!"

"Well, as soon as you know, you'd be having a new kind of garden…with flowers that burp, cry, and…"

SMACK.

Drew's hands stung from the impact, but it was well worth the pain. Harley rubbed his neck indignantly as the strike burned his skin.

"What was that for?"

"For being an insensitive humorist you are! Can you not make dirty jokes like that in front of my presence?!" Drew said in a quiet, dangerous voice.

"Well…"

Soon the two stopped walking. The pair had walked across to their private chambers during their conversation. Harley, still nursing his red neck, was too glad to leave Drew.

"I'm off to bed, Master Gardner. G'nite…" Harley muttered unappreciatively. "Damned uncalled for, that strike…"

The crazy green jester sauntered off into the darkness.

Still stinging from the insult, Drew stormed to his room. Instead of falling asleep on his bed like he normally did, he opened the window to let in some cool air. It definitely let him relieve his anger. As he glanced over the scene before him, which was obviously his gardens, he sighed.

Throughout the day, he had wondered about that quiet maid. He never encountered the girl again after seeing her at the Rose Maze, but he longed for those sad, soft eyes and pretty hands…

Drew blushed again as he mused over his new obsession. "Stop being a total sap," Drew muttered to himself, as he changed for bed. "You must be calm, cool…"

Still, all he thought of was the strange girl.

"Who was she?" he mused.

Finally lying down on his bed, he momentarily glanced at the potted morning glory near his bedside; he had a habit of nurturing certain plants in his own room every now and then. Its buds were closed tight, untouched by morning. As he drifted to sleep, he wondered how pretty the flowers would look on the girl's bedside the next morning…

Meanwhile, Rosamunde wandered around the halls, trying to find something to do.

_**'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-TBC-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'**_

Well did you like it?! OMG IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME. Well, here are some A/N's!!!

1. Tradescant: Wiki article has an extensive bio on how this famous English gardener(s) did wonders to horticulture.

2. Merysao: It's the acronym for "Mayrose". There really isn't a flower named that, but I decided heck, this kingdom will be named after it. I am so subtle…hehehe.

3. Hybrid Tea: If you google it, it's a common ornamental rose found in many flower shops. They ARE really pretty…but relatively fragile since they are put in tea – hence the name xD

4. Harley's Voice: I tried to make him sound like a relaxed, drunk (?), and jolly jester dude because he is…pretty funny/scary like that. The spelling mistakes were purposely made to personify his speech.

5. Brianna: I forgot her name, so I had named her Harriet...god I'm terrible Dx

Please review! I like cookies with them :P


	2. Morning Glory

Hey again

Hey again...Update, update! Wow, I am SO glad to have some positive feedback and cookies for one of my first fics! I am so happy that you guys enjoyed it.

Keep the reviews coming, because it gets me motivated to write more of this and be distracted from my other work…hm. Cookies. Yum.

Anyways, enjoy!

**Warnings**: OOC Drew; I tried to make him in-character but it's hard.

**La Fleur de Mai (The Mayflower)**

The disclaimer for the fanfic is implied.

_**'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-Ch 2: Morning Glory'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-**_

--_**Day**_--

Lady Marie de Mai was having a strange dream.

She was again chasing her Beautifly Faith through the gardens. Unlike the romp Marie had earlier with the Pokemon yesterday, the fields were foggy and dark. She was, of course, a bit scared...but she was intent on bringing her Beautifly back to the castle, where they could be safe.

Neverthless, Faith did not want to listen to her.

That fickle thing was Marie's best friend, but the Pokemon was quite a handful. It playfully flew just out of the girl's reach, causing the owner to be frustrated and exhausted.

"Faith! Faith!"

"Beauuu!"

Suddenly her Pokemon disappeared into the haze, and Marie stopped. Wondering where she would possibly be, the girl looked around in confusion.

The only things she was able to see were the red roses, their petals dyed the deepest blood-red.

She felt lost…and scared.

"Hello..? Anyone? Please…" her vision began to blur from unwanted tears…

Suddenly, Marie heard a series of steady footsteps approaching. Sniffling away the few tears she had shed, she quickly turned her head towards the direction of the noise.

Although she did not see too clearly, a silhouette of a man appeared; he was definitely a little taller than her, but not by much. He had a dignified air about him, an intimidating one…

…or was that just from the heat flooding in Marie's cheeks, making her more nervous than ever to look at the stranger?

"Hello milady," the figure said quietly. "Are you…lost?"

Marie was quiet. "Er…yes."

"Come."

The figure was walking away. Seeing this and afraid to be lost again, Marie quickly followed…but even as she ran to catch up with the man, he seemed distant, always ten steps ahead of her in the fog.

The pair did not speak much either. Not that they were obliged to talk to each other.

This situation seemed to last a long time...or so it seemed.

A few minutes later, the familiar towers of the castle began to appear within their sight. Nearing the entrance to the atrium of the court, the stranger stepped back.

Meanwhile, Marie gratefully dashed near to the doors, happy to see those worn granite walls surround her.

"Faith usually came in the castle anyway," the girl thought; so the girl temporarily decided not to worry about her Pokemon. "But…"

The silent stranger still stood by, observing her carefully. Seeing him, Marie slapped herself mentally: she had forgotten to thank him! How ungrateful was she?

"Uhm…" the girl finally said, albeit awkwardly. "I can't thank you enough…for helping me out and everything…"

The words sounded awkward to her ears, but the stranger seemed to understand. Marie looked at him again and thought she saw a smile...

"It's nothing. And you're welcome," the shadowy figure replied.

Then he took something out of his coat pocket, and threw it in Marie's direction. The girl automatically caught the object, and stared: it was one of the blood-red roses she had seen earlier. But before Marie could look up and ask him about the sudden gift, the figure was leaving…fading, uttering a phrase that inexplicably burned in her memory.

"Tis for your Beautifly."

THUD.

"…Woah!"

Sunlight came into Marie's eyes, instantly waking her up and unfortunately, making her fall off the canopy bed. As a result, she became tangled in her blankets in an undignified manner. It took Marie a good few minutes to get herself from the mess.

"Well, good morning me," Marie muttered to herself; she trudged to the full-length mirror and looked upon her reflection.

A quiet, pale face stared back with wide blue eyes. Brown locks flew out in random directions, most notably those in front: they framed her delicate face and swayed slightly in the faint, spring breeze.

"Heh, nice day…and I don't look too shabby…" she mused.

"Skiii!!"

A young Skitty suddenly bounded out from its bed, happily skipping around her feet. It's pink fur shone brightly – one of the servants must have brushed its coat this morning.

"Well! Come here, Nari!" Marie said delightedly, lifting the hyper thing in her arms and hugging it affectionately; Skitty was one of the newer Pokemon she was beginning to raise…and its charms already had captured much of Marie's heart.

"You seem so happy and cute!!" the girl laughed as Nari purred in her arms.

But she suddenly noticed something unusual in her room, and had stopped lavishing affection on the hyperactive Skitty.

"Huh? What is this?"

Near the window sill, where the sunlight was sure to welcome Marie's room every morning, was a potted morning glory. It had already bloomed a few hours ago, but the girl had not noticed until now. The flower's bluish-purple petals were adorned with white streaks. Its funnels trumpeted outward to the skies, open to greet the sun.

It may have been considered a common weed in every other way, but to Marie, it was something different...something new.

Carefully dropping Nari, who was too glad to scamper around the room once more, Marie walked to the little blossom, admiring its smallness and beauty. Fingers crept closer to stroke the soft leaves, which felt cool to the touch.

"It's…beautiful…"

But she also wondered: who had left this pot here? She certainly never had any plants lying around randomly in her room…

However, Marie's reverie was broken by several, sharp knocks that came from the door.

Rap. Rap.

"Milady?" a rich voice inquired from the closed door. "Are you awake?"

"Come in!" Marie replied.

After a brief click from unlocking the door, Solidad entered the room; as a close friend – she was a highly-regarded duchess from a Spanish nation – the elegant woman had access to many of Marie's private chambers.

"Lady Marie…" Solidad began to say while giving a formal curtsey; her fawn-colored dress matched well with her orange hair.

"Solidad! I told you for the hundredth time NOT to call me that! It saves you a lot of breath and trouble if you'd just call me May…"

"But May," the older lady chuckled good-naturedly. "What if your father, the king, finds out I am not giving you the proper respects you deserve? Surely he will punish me!"

May laughed; it was an old joke of theirs; it never got old.

"Well, then tell my father Norman," May giggled as she called the king by his first name, "that I do not mind such shows of disrespect."

Solidad smiled in return, "Ay, you are a good friend. Well, it's another wonderful day to-day…and I believe you need to change into your proper wear. Your father did call you down. And…" she glanced outside to the clock tower, "it's almost breakfast."

"Right! Um, so…want to pick my clothes again?"

As Solidad helped May dress up, they began to talk about the activities and the exciting gossips that circulated around court. Often they consisted of empty talk: someone was courting someone else, someone had a horrible taste in clothing, etc.

"So May…" Solidad was helping the princess button up from the back. "Why is there a morning glory in your room? I don't think you liked flowers that much."

A moment of silence passed before May found the words to answer her friend.

"Hm? Oh…" May looked up to see the morning glory again, which still seemed to thrive in the sunshine. "I just…found it today on my window. I certainly didn't put it there…"

Another silence...meanwhile Solidad, who had been thinking for a bit, was not too convinced. She briefly checked her slender frame on the mirror, then turned around to address May.

"Hm. Odd. The only person to bring such things into the castles is the Master Gardener. Did you-?"

A red blush rose from May's cheeks: a secret admirer?

"What? No! I don't even know him!"

"Are you sure, Mila- oh my apologies…May? Your father does fancy his taste with horticulture and other things. You might have seen each other at one point..."

May blushed. Why was Solidad teasing her? She didn't even know who he was!

"Sol…I assure you, I have no idea who the Master Gardener is. In fact, I'm sure he could care less about me…whoever he is."

"Hn." Solidad mused; she still was not convinced. "Well, you're all freshened up. I'll be going now. Goodbye, I shall see you during breakfast!"

With a graceful swish of her skirt, Solidad left the room. Her slippers made light pattering noises as she walked away.

May, now out of her nightgown and in her violet gown, sat resignedly next to the window. Glancing at the little morning glory, she began to wonder…

Who had put the flower there…and why?

Patter. Patter. Patter. DASH. DASH. DASH. Patter.

But different kinds of noises broke May from her reverie.

"Roselia! Rose!" a Pokemon's laughter ringed in the hallway; its footsteps were light and quick, as if it were running away from someone…

"Damn you, Rosamunde! I'm not supposed to be here! This is the royal-" a male human voice suddenly trailed after the Pokemon's giggles.

Suddenly the dashing noises stopped and the male sounded frustrated.

"Where in the Darkrai did you hide…?" suddenly he seemed to catch sight of the mischievous monster. "THERE YOU ARE! Get over here you ungrateful, mischievous scoundrel!"

The racket came closer and closer, and the noise seemed to echo throughout May's chambers. Anxious to see who was causing all this trouble, May got up to open the door…

"ROSAMUND-!!"

CRASH.

"Skiitttyyy!"

Drew, who was not exactly having a wonderful morning (he had woken up only to find his plant pot missing and his Roselia laughing at his owner's confusion), ran right into May. Several undignified squeals hurt his ears as he and the girl fell to the floor. It took them a few minutes of fighting, arguing, and cursing – the third was more on Drew's part – to get them untangled from each other.

Meanwhile, Nari scampered around, oblivious to the chaos nearby. Roselia was still smirking in a corner as the two humans calmed down to take a good look at each other.

"Erm. Hello, milady," Drew managed to say.

May just stared back. The boy who she just ran into seemed to be from a dream…his green hair was a little mussed, but it gave him an appealing daredevil look. He wore the usual dress of a common male courtier: shirt, vest, leggings. But he looked like he had rushed out of bed – the shirt and vest was half open, revealing more skin than May would have wanted to see…at least his leggings were on properly.

Surprised emerald eyes gazed back at her astonished sapphire ones. As they met, they quickly looked away. Just then Drew, glanced into May's room, recognizing the coveted morning glory he had been searching for.

"So…er, I see you have my plant…M-may I…" Drew's face began to resemble more and more like a Cherubi.

"Sure…" May finally replied; her voice seemed a bit cracked. "I'm sorry if I did anything-"

"Oh no, it's fine," Drew said quickly; he got up and retrieved his plant. "I…Excuse me."

The gardener suddenly ran off, leaving May and her Pokemon confused. Rosamunde had already disappeared, probably to see how his owner was faring.

"I wonder who he was…" May mused, heat still burning her cheeks; her mind soon was occupied with that emerald-eyed stranger.

"I hope to see him again…"

--_**Night**_--

Merysao dinner was quite a simple affair.

On certain holidays, the court outdid themselves by serving up dishes of extremely lavish food. But today, it was not so.

Drew mulled over his drink and food, still embarrassed by this morning's events. As a result, he had stayed in the garden longer than usual and was much ruder to the courtiers…not that it bettered his mood much.

"Yo, why are ye being all dull and blah now, eh?" Harley suddenly sauntered to Drew's seat. "Ye were whole lot cheerier yesterday…hm, are ye feelin' guilty fer hittin' me or something…?"

"No," Drew replied curtly; he pretended to look elsewhere – he soon found some diversion from the great stained-glass window across from his seat.

"Aw," Harley drawled in an exaggerated sad tone; suddenly, his face flickered with a roguish smile. "Or...was it the Princess that startled your lil' heart?"

"Huhh…what?!" Drew suddenly snapped out of his indifference. "W-what are you…wait. Who told you this?"

"Hmmm," Harley began to hum in an annoying manner, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Why should I tell you, Master Gardener? You weren't very nice to me last night ya know."

Harley gave a mean smirk. Drew frowned.

"Well..?" Harley started to annoy the gardener, nudging him as if they were two conspirators...

That action was his last straw. So Drew suppressed his urge to kick Harley and only managed a strangled noise of exasperation before speaking.

"To hell with yesterday! I want to know how your silly nose got into this…this…information!"

"Well, Somers is Rosamunde's...accquaintance, Master Gardener," Harley finally said mockingly, motioning to the Cacturne nearby. "And he relays stuff back to me. It's quite an ingenious system."

Harley then chuckled. "Hawhawhaw! And you are one of the King's personal attendants. How silly and oblivious can you get? You didn't even know her?! My god…"

Drew was silent; at that moment, he was trying to plan a way to punish his crazy Pokemon from making more tricks…

"Ergh…"

But that thought did not last long. Soon he merely flicked a stray strand of his green hair in frustration – a habit he had developed as he joined the court – and resumed eating.

Seeing his victim lose interest, Harley decided he had to go torture someone else.

"Hmm, anyway…all this heavy stuff bothers me," Harley said suddenly, jumping up like a Buneary and ready to do his jester-ly job; he soon noticed a pretty courtier pass by, and he began to chase after her. "Toodle-do, Mr. Tradescant- O hello milady!! Haven't I told you before your face is bloomin' charming? Hmm?"

Drew muttered something foul as he saw Harley leave. "God," the gardener thought. "What a pompous as-"

But he stopped in mid-curse as Drew felt a small tap on his shoulder.

"Uhm…Mr. Tradescant?" a timid voice came to his ear.

Drew turned around and saw a young lady-in-waiting standing beside him. He inwardly complained about stalking admirers, but kept his face calm. Taking a sip of watered wine from his goblet, he casually looked up to answer the maid.

"Yes?"

"Well…milady…" she gestured towards the head of the table, "wishes to see you after dinner…"

Drew glanced at where the girl had pointed and his heart stopped for the second time. It was the princess he had bumped into earlier, the one with soft, sad eyes. He first didn't believe what was happening – why did she call for him?

If the gardener had a sane mind that day, he'd have cordially accepted the offer or coldy rejected it, depending on his mood. But for the first time, he was too inwardly afraid…too shy. He didn't have the heart to see her.

"I'm sorry, but I am too occupied tonight for such a meeting," Drew finally said, maintaining a cool tone. "Perhaps…tomorrow afternoon would be sufficient."

To make his point even clearer, he smartly turned away, as if the gardener had any better plans to do than chat with a shy, little maid. As he did so, Drew distracted himself with the thought of fixing the old knot garden the following day…

Meanwhile, the maid seemed disappointed about carrying this news. Although her face showed it, she did not express her feelings to the apparently indifferent gardener.

"Thank you, sir. I shall make sure that milady hears it quickly," she said smoothly before pattering off.

After seeing her go away, Drew sighed in relief. As he did so, however, he saw the same lady-in-waiting hover over her milady, who seemed a little saddened by Drew's reply.

Seeing May's expression, the gardener felt a pang of guilt. Still, he knew that his nerves were unable to endure such an encounter today…especially after that awkward first meeting.

Then Drew noticed an elderly woman – the Royal Healer, he recalled – motioned to the princess to follow. As the princess disappeared from the Hall, Drew was a little disconcerted. But he dismissed it quickly; he had to make plans for tomorrow, provided the maid remembered him and his promise.

He should do something nice for her tomorrow…

_**'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-TBC-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'**_

Heh, I thought the ch was a bit long…I think I went too far on the dream thing, but it was good, right? Hehe. Also about the Day and Night thing, its to keep track of how many days Drew got left to confess...the reason I do this will be disclosed in the later chapters. This is just like an introduction...more fun stuff will happen later. Stay tuned...

Well, you know the drill – some author notes!

1. Marie de Mai: I actually derived May's "Merysao Court" name after various women – notably Henrietta Maria and Marie Antoinette. Not for their negative qualities, but their positive ones. Also, I never used the name May until I added that name joke...just so I just don't say the princess is her rightaway. (I'm so evil.)

2. Drew's Height: was it just me, or is Drew shorter than May in the anime? It really confuses me. Anyway, I made him taller because their ages are 15 (Drew) and 14 (May).

3. Morning Glory: I was serious when I wrote that this plant is a weed. It's an invasive species and a problem in a few countries…Wikipedia can back me up on this.

4. Solidad: Soledad means "Solitary" in Spanish. So Solidad here is a Spanish woman courtier. How witty of me, hm? Oh yea, I never made up a Spain-sounding Pokemon Kingdom for her since I was too lazy - but you guys can give me ideas.

5. Clothes: People during this time had servants/etc to help them put clothes on. Durr.

6. Somers: I named the Harley's Cacturne after King Henry's jester, Will Somers. Will is too plain, so Somers sufficed. Hehe :3

Please review! Pretty please with sugar on top?


	3. Phlox

OMG, I need to work on this fic more…I falling behind my schedule…BAD ME

OMG, I need to work on this fic more…I falling behind my schedule…BAD ME! Excuse me while I slap myself a bit.

Yes, please keep sending feedback (constructive ones please)! I need them to improve my fics a lot… these chapters sometimes get so messed up in the first drafts. Also, it makes me less bored on the computer.

Have fun reading!

**Warnings**: OOC Drew; I tried to make him in-character but it's hard. Beginnings of fluff also.

**La Fleur de Mai (The Mayflower)**

The disclaimer for the fanfic is implied.

_**'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-Ch 3: Phlox-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'**_

--_**Day**_--

"What do you think about these paths?" a courtly male voice inquired.

Two courtiers walked quietly along the long yew allée, admiring the twisted branches that formed a cozy little tunnel that filtered the strong April sun. The path itself was only dirt-packed, not yet cobble-stoned; in a few days, workers would come in to construct a neat little walkway.

Still, it was a work of art, this place. Drew had taken painstaking amount of time to trim the trees and make the branches knit together. A few decades in the road, Drew knew, the tunnel will be a rain-proof haven for many of the visitors of the garden.

A small gasp of admiration, then a rich chuckle rippled through the yew trees.

"Qué Excellente!" Soledad exclaimed; she was certainly pleased to be led by the Master Gardener to the newer parts of the Merysao Gardens. "So…will it be done by Mayday, I suppose?"

Drew took the compliments nonchalantly, giving his little smug smile and flicking his green bangs to dismiss his accomplishments as nothing – despite that fact that it was not. But his proud expression soon changed into bland seriousness.

"Yes, but….I know you appreciate my works, but I did not want empty flattery." Drew looked up at the lady again. "I wished to use your wise judgement to-day. I need feedback so the court would…"

He made a vague gesture towards the elegant, arched boughs.

"…make it more aesthetic. Eye-pleasing"

"Hm…" the lady mused carefully; she knew her friend depended on her often for such advice. "Well, the place is a little…"

"Yes?"

"…too dark. I think it would be more pleasant to have little flowers lining the place. It would be…enchanting it to resemble a fairytale grove. Would you know anything that would grow here well…Señor Tradescant?"

Soledad looked expectantly at the gardener, her eyes sparkling. Drew glanced back briefly before he spoke.

"Hm…not many things grow under yew…especially in their shade. Most flowers wilt under darkness…."

Soledad gave him a sideways glance. But Drew ignored it.

"…except maybe this recent plant I have had success in growing under shady fields: lily-of-the-valley. Daintiest thing you'll ever see, like a snowdrop. It also has a sweet scent, like a rose…but a tad sharp…like a true lily."

"Oh, that's good!" the lady replied back excitedly but with dignity. "I cannot wait for you to implement them. It'd look well with the bowling greens…hm, let's say, we must go there now!"

Soledad nodded her head towards to Drew, a sign for him to follow. Drew just looked at her strangely; he had so much other things to do!

"For what reason, may I ask-"

"Well, there is a small joust occurring to-day. And I know you are always ready for some Pokémon matches, no?"

"Well…"

Soledad finally used her handkerchief to give the gardener a gentle smack in the shoulder, which made Drew flinch; he hated when women just acted all pouty and motherly to persuade men to do favors.

"Oh, do not worry about tending the gardens…I'm sure a day away from such duties won't hurt m'dear. You always do inspect them so. Go!"

Reluctantly, Drew huffed off as a mirthful Soledad trailed behind him.

After passing through the meters of yew allée tunnel, he finally came upon a vast expanse of green field – the bowling greens. Its grass was always trimmed daily to keep the place even and flat. Although the greens were mainly for bowling activities, many preferred this place for Pokémon jousts.

Drew finally managed to grab his apricorns and push through the crowd that thronged around the field. Already a battle was in full force.

"D'Artegnan, Leaf Bade!" a small dark-haired boy commanded; despite his youth, his face radiated calm and maturity.

His tall Gallade leaped up gracefully, its elbow appendages ready to strike his opponent: another man's Mightyena just made a defensive stance, trying to intimidate the swordsman Pokémon.

"Nana, crunch!" the other trainer commanded – "That's Brendan!" Drew suddenly thought.

The two soon clashed, blade meeting fang. There was a brief struggle as they tested each other's strengths. But the Mightyena let go, overwhelmed by Gallade's attack.

A cheer soon rose from the crowd, drowning out whatever official call had been issued to mark the end of the match. Brendan gave a respectful bow to the prince. Both then shook hands before departing the field. Drew looked at them dismissively as they left.

"Aye, 'tis Prince Maximilian of the Star…" someone murmured behind Drew.

"Uh huh, you sure he really did befriend Jirachi when he was a child?" another voice was heard as well.

"Rumor says. Either way, he's very talented…"

"Attention please," a random courtier, who had been acting as judge in the joust, called to the crowd. "Next two please come up for a match!"

So Drew approached the open space, a daring smirk gracing his face as the crowd surrounded and whispered admiringly.

The gardener only looked ahead, waiting for his opponent.

"Oh, it's the Master Gardener…I heard he was very skilled!"

"Indeed…out and inside the gardens…who is his contend-"

"Look!"

Suddenly a hush filled the air as the contender came daintily to the arena; it was no other than Princess May herself.

"Hello, Master Gardener. I hope you do not mind if I join?"

Drew's heart skipped a little faster at the sight of May, but did not show it.

"Of course not, your highness," Drew said smoothly.

Both of them took out their apricorns. They were good to go.

After seeing the two in the ready position, the judge took out his green flag and then waved it high in the air.

"Begin!"

"Faith, go!" May cried out, and the same Beautifly Drew had seen burst from the apricorn.

"Rosamunde!" Drew called, and the Roselia appeared from his apricorn. "Start with Magical Leaf!"

Roselia swirled around once, and a bunch of green/brown leaves appeared. Sparkling under the strong sunlight, they quickly began to fly towards the Beautifly.

"Ohh!!"

The crowd began to admire the beauty of the attack…

"Faith! Whirlwind and String-shot!"

"Beau!"

Beautifly vigorously flapped its wings, producing strong gusts of wind that would normally knock a Pokémon out of battle. However, the winds were aimed directly at the magical leaves, which fluttered safely away from a still-unharmed Beautifly. But the leaves did not just fall to the ground; the string-shot that Faith had produced caught them all neatly. This "necklace" of leaves then finally landed softly onto the grass.

"That's awesome sis!" Max called out from the cheering crowd.

"Thank you- ahh!" May began to reply to her brother when she felt her Beautifly collide with her. "Beautifly!!"

The butterfly Pokémon seemed dazed, but perfectly healthy. It simply had been caught off-guard. Roselia had used pin missile as retaliation to Beautifly's previous counterattack.

"You shouldn't be so distracted by things outside of battle, milady," Drew said in a haughty manner. "Please make sure to take note of that next time. Roselia, Petal Dance and finish this!"

"Rose…selia!"

After doing a small dance, it produced a mass of pink petals, which showered the entire arena. Despite its soft appearance, everyone knew that a Pokémon would get hurt from such a strong attack…

"Counter it! Oh…just where??" May was as confused as her Beautifly, which was trying to avoid the pink flower petals as best as she could.

It took a few moments to find a weak spot, however.

"Faith! Top and center! Silver wing downward!"

Faith was too glad to obey the command. Gracefully spiraling upwards, it quickly flew high enough to avoid a majority of the petal dance attack. Then it flapped its wings…

"Beauuuu…"

Her wings began to produce silver scales, which danced in tandem with the petals…

Both May and Drew looked up and the sight, and could only gasp…

Both of the battling Pokémon now didn't seem to care about winning or losing. They seemed more interested in putting up a great spectacle…which was not a disappointment to the crowd. The arena was aglow with a strange light that glinted pink and silver…

"Come on Faith…" May whispered desperately; she had thought of the last move by means of her strange luck, and she didn't want to lose yet…

"Stop it Rosamunde. I forfeit."

Drew waved his arms quickly, and as if a switch was turned off, the Roselia stopped. Almost at the same time, a tired and now triumphant Beautifly halted her attack.

Another hush fell into the crowd. Soon, they began to applaud loudly.

"Dashing performance, both of you!"

"Wonderful display! Was it planned or accidental? Oh, how grand…"

"Master Gardener! Master Gardener! I am one of your fervent admirers and I wanted to say-"

"Hush miss, you are not the only one!"

Among the various compliments, Drew quietly led May out of the arena. Beautifly hovered behind them, happy to be out of the apricorn. Roselia, too, followed behind. He was also too glad to pin missile anyone who came too close to his trainer and friends.

"Well, how is my little Max and Mayflower doing?" a quiet voice called out; it was Norman, who had come out from a serious meeting with his kingdom's allies.

Silence and awe again filled the air.

"Father!" May and Max cried from the lull; Max quickly ran to give his father a great hug.

May, who had one hand casually on Drew's own – as it was court custom to have an escort hold the lady's hand – paused a little. She then quickly squeezed Drew's hand, mouthed a thanks, and left.

But before she was out of Drew sight, Drew quickly whispered to her:

"Eastern Terrace after dinner. I insist."

Drew thought he saw May nod quickly before she ran to greet the king.

--_**Night**_--

The night was clear, and the half moon shone softly on the Merysao kingdom. Although not as bright as the sunlight, the moonlight gave enough illumination for two people to see in the dark.

Drew wore the same outfit that he had donned in the morning. But now he had a dark, flowing cloak to protect himself from the night winds. May had dressed into a simpler courtier-dress, which made it easier for her to run and walk outside. Due to her rushing, however, she had forgotten to bring a cloak.

But she didn't care as much. After all, he was too excited to be outside at such hours to be with a newly made friend…or was he?

They walked quietly in the various pathways that led to the Royal Gardens; Drew led the way and May carefully trailed behind.

"Master Gardener…"

Drew turned around.

"Yes, milady?"

"Where…are we going?"

Drew grinned and gave a small bow, and replied, "a special place that only the night can offer."

May was puzzled at this reply, but did not inquire further.

A few minutes later, Drew stopped. Startled, May did as well.

"We're here, your highness."

"Hm?" May looked beyond Drew's shoulder…

She gasped.

Before them was a small garden. There was one white bench in the center, and around it were various "night flowers," flowers that bloomed after dusk. White acidantheras, tuberoses, daturas, and a whole lot of night phlox…all kinds of fragrant blossoms permeated the air.

May walked ahead of Drew to take in the scene more closely. She closed her eyes and inhaled the variety of scents that wafted through her nose. There was some lemon, jasmine, and some unknown spice smells that May could not exactly put her finger on…all equally wonderful.

"Master Gardener…"

"Call me Drew. Your breath would run out from saying that title too much," Drew said with a tinge of hidden laughter.

"Well…Drew," May rolled the new name with her tongue. "What is this…incredible place? I swore that I saw every inch of these gardens and yet…"

"It's a Moon Garden, milady."

"Moon Garden?" May looked at Drew strangely.

"Well…it was requested by your father to make a little place for your mother to love. Bascially, it's a garden that thrives at night. Somewhat like those seen in fairytale stories…except it's real."

"Oh!" May exclaimed as a Volbeat flittered by.

"Also, since night-time pollinators do not see a lot of color in the dark, their scent are really strong and wonderful. Many people with headaches like to stay here too…"

May simply took the scene in, half listening to what Drew said. It was much better to look at the scene itself than to listen to someone describing it.

Drew glanced at her, sighed a little, and sat next to her on the bench. Although he did wanted to do something bold – put an arm around her delicate frame, even kiss her slightly parted lips – but decorum commanded him not to.

"What am I thinking?" Drew harshly thought to himself. "Think of what Harley and other equally dunce pions would say about you!"

"Uhh…Drew?" May suddenly said.

"Yes?" Drew immediately sat up straight. "What is it milady?"

"You know, out of all the pretty girls in court…why me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Because no girl in court had boasted about your bringing a girl to this place…I am assuming I am the first female that came with you here…so why did you?" May looked expectantly at the gardener.

The gardener slightly reddened, but regained his composure.

"Well…I-" Drew began to say.

May stared at him harder.

"I thought you would like a treat from me for defeating me earlier."

"What?" May suddenly stood up. "That is not an excuse, Drew! You forfeited!"

"No…I realized you needed a break, so I stopped. My Roselia was getting tired too…"

"But your Pokémon did not have a scratch! You just did it to humiliate me?"

"No! My Pokémon can get exhausted easily-"

Drew stood up from his seat as well, wanting to calm down the suddenly fussy princess.

"You lie!" May pouted in the most undignified manner.

Her angry face was inches from Drew's own.

"For the last time, I said no." Drew said patiently; he could not understand why women wanted to know every little detail about his life.

"Liar."

"Ahem! I said-"

"Since you won't admit the truth, I'll say it again. Li-oh!"

It was just to shut her up. Drew had placed his lips over hers, and put his arms around May's waist as he did so. He didn't want to kiss her after such a riot, but he really could not think of anything.

"Mmm."

May's arms, which were trapped between this awkward embrace, first feebly attempted to push Drew off. But an irrational side of her decided not to, and slowly circled Drew's torso.

Their tongues shyly touched each other briefly, but reality quickly stopped them. Drew gently let go of May.

May, dazed, stared at Drew.

"Why…"

Drew quietly tilted his head as if he was ashamed, obscuring most of his face.

"Milady, I suggest you to think of it as nothing. Forget it if possible. I…"

May stared at him. She seemed a little shocked.

"I'm sorry. Let me lead you back to the castle."

Drew offered his hand, but not in the warm way that he had when May first left the castle to go to the Gardens. Either way, May tentatively put her hand over his.

"Let us go then…"

Coincidentally, the skies seemed to darken as they walked back to the court.

_**'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-TBC-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'**_

Heh, here are some notes. I still want those cookies!

1. Apricorn: Those pre-pokeball thingies featured in GSC series.

2. D'Artegnan: 3 Musketeers Reference. I love giving nicknames to Pokémon!

3. Brendan and Nana: In the RSE manga, Ruby (Brendan) has a female Mightyena named Nana.

4. Maximilian: Max, for short.

Please review!


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